Fraser council adopts fee schedule with 60-day review of ambulance transport charges

Fraser City Council approved the city’s FY 2026–27 fee schedule with a staff-directed 60-day review of ambulance transport charges.

Council member Shornack moved to adopt the fee schedule with an amendment requiring staff to analyze and return with a breakdown of ambulance runs (resident vs nonresident), revenue by run type (BLS, ALS) and the financial impact of waiving or reducing resident transport charges. The motion also directed removal of an obsolete amusement-device fee from the schedule.

City staff and billing representatives explained the current billing structure: the city’s millage helps fund public-safety staffing and equipment, while transport fees recover a substantial portion of EMS operating costs that are not covered by the millage. Council members noted that a majority of calls are Medicare billing events and asked staff to provide how much of current collections go to Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance.

Staff estimated ambulance-fee revenue at roughly $500,000 per year (all fees, resident and nonresident combined) and said a full waiver could materially affect the enterprise’s fiscal health; council asked for detailed data by run type and payer source. The council approved the motion and asked staff to return with a data-driven proposal.